1. Not doing things
Forgive my double negative beginning and listen up. If I have any regrets, it's only for the things I didn't do. Actions I didn't take, chances I missed, things I didn't realize. Inactivity and idleness can and will ruin your life. Living a life boldly and spontaneously is not without its risks, but you will earn far more through this lifestyle than by choosing not to take action. New things aren't scary once you've tried them.
2. Getting involved with petty things.
I never heard the word "petty" used that much until late 2016 rolled around. Now it's become a meme but don't let its amusing nature fool you. What I mean is, don't get side-tracked. Each of us has a quest but when we spend too long on side missions that don't contribute to the final ending, you don't level up. Be the gardener of your life and cut off the dead leaves that are only sucking the life out of you.
3. Mindless scrolling of social media
Yes, this gets harped on a lot. And no, I actually have nothing against it. Social media is a good way to stay up to date and connected. But I and many others like me too often get caught up in this time vacuum. That moment when you start endlessly scrolling and snorting silently to yourself when you see something funny. It's a slippery slope and if you can somehow prevent yourself from getting sucked in, you'll be surprised how productive you actually become.
4. Procrastinating
Procrastinating is a vile, gluttonous beast that disguises itself with the veil of a "peace of mind." Slay it. Slayyyy. I know this is easier said than done but DEAR GOD. It's not a trend, it's a disease. It's the perfect lie. The words "I promise I will get that done" sound so good. They're absolutely dripping with determination. Unfortunately, that resolve rarely materializes. You know you're not going to do it. Don't deny it. So anticipate that unwillingness and the moment your brain tries to push it off, grab that son of a gun by the collar and say "We're gonna do this now, buster." (Mobster voice is preferable.)
5. Bad habits.
The funny thing about the word "bad habits" is that when people hear that word, some think about biting their nails or forgetting to floss while other's remember that they have a "bad habit" of getting drunk and sleeping with strangers. And most of both categories aren't even able to recognize their problem behaviors. And if you want to find out which one you're in, just message me with your confessions. It'll be fun! But if you're aware, then stop it. As long as you're not doing whatever action is ruining your life, you're trying. Yes, it's hard but if you think that backsliding means rewarding yourself for working hard, then you're not going to get better. Failing is expected, but never welcome.
6. Censoring yourself.
Curse words can be cathartic but I'm not referring to profanity. As normal human beings, we are expected to have a filter that allows us to do what is socially acceptable and rejects doing what is not. Keep that filter. You need that filter. But there are times when we let our fear of the unacceptable control us. And that fear is what turns law-abiding citizens into passive, vulnerable robots who have to ask permission in order to speak. Being an adult means establishing a code of conduct for yourself and deciding who you want to be, what you want to say, and how you're going to act. People will tell you what to do but the decision is ultimately yours.
7. Making bad decisions.
Good news! I don't expect you to follow this one. The annoying thing about making bad decisions is that you don't realize it until you've done it. You can try to prevent it by informing yourself or coming up with counter-measures to stop you, but sometimes when the moment arrives, we can't help but screw it all up. Misfortune is incurable. But what I've found to be most useful is giving yourself a time-out. Get out of the moment. For example, say you're about to kiss someone you shouldn't. Or even if you're in the process of doing so. If you stop and back up for a second, it takes actual thought and willpower to do it a second time. The damage may already be done and there may be no turning back, but there's nothing making you go forward. For the most part, just stopping could save you a lot of pain and trouble.
